Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1887-06-27
The Case orRcv. F. NJ. Todd.


Washington, Saturday morning, for the pur
pose of considering the rumors and charges
affecting the moral character of Rev. f. M.
Todd, of Manassas, Va. Rev. DR.. John il.
French, moderator, opened the meeting
with prayer, after which the roll was called
and the request of Mr.. Todd for an investi-
CATION read.
The moderator asked what the presbytery
would do in the premises, and there was
quite debate as to the proper mode pro-
cedure, Some of the members maintained
that under the call they were restricted TO
the appointment of q committee of inquiry
but the moderator held that it was compe.
tent to appoint committee or to enter at
once into trial, as the presbytery might
deem best.
Mr.. Todd stated that he did not desire to
conduct his case, and requested that Rev.
DR.. Sunderland be designated as his counsel.
That was done.
Rev. Mr. Nourse, ofthis city moved that in
accordance with the request of Rev. Mr.. Todd
q committee'be appointed to inquire and re-
port what should be done in the matter of
the rumors and charges affecting the char
acter of Mr.. Todd.
l..
ought not to be used in the proceedings.
He said there were no charges, and it was
unjust to MIR. Todd TO denominate mere ru
mors as charges that the rules prescribed
that charges should be filed in formal mall
ner, with specifications. There were no
such charges.
Mr.. Nourse said he did not intend TO i'm.
ply that there were charges, but had adopt
ed the language of the call. His only OBJ
ject was to get the matter before compe.
tent tribunal with as little delay as possible
The moderator explained that in calling
the presbytery to order he had said there
were charges or papers purporting to be
charges, in his possession. He had not SUBJ
mtted them because he thought that COM
mittee, when appointed, should have them.
DR.. Sunderland said Mr.. Todd was ready
for trial, and his earnest request was that
the inquiry should be prosecuted with all
the diligence practicable. He was ready al
any moment DR.. Sunderland then went
into history of what occurred at Manassas
when he went down to the meeting of the
church session there. He said that at that
meeting Mr. Hornbaker presented paper,
asking that the proceedings be deferred un.
til he could get, back charges, &c, which had
been sent away. The paper was vague and
indefinite, and DR.. Sunderland said that Mr..
Hornbaker left the church hnrriedly, de-
clinng to answer questions. Mr.. Todd then
felt it incumbent upon him to demand an
investigation at the hands of the presbytery,
which he did. That request had resulted in
the meeting of the presbytery.
Before DR.. Sunderland concluded his re.
view of what occurred at Manassas, Rev.
Mr.. Flemming, temporary clerk of the pres.
bytery, called him to order, making the
point that DR.. Sunderland was discussing
the merits of the case and was out of order.
DR.. Sunderland remarked that he would
sit down, saying it was "not his funeral any
how"
The discussion in regard to the scope of
the matter ON hand was renewed, some Of
the presbytery holding that as there were
no formal charges any inquiry must be con-
fined to rumors.
The moderator remarked that charges
had been placed in his hands embraced in
copies of affidavits, but he had not read
them with the call After some further de-
bate, it was ordered that the charges be read
in order that the entire case might be before
the presbytery.
The moderator then read copies of the
afidavits as follows:
We, the undersigned, members Of the First
Church ofPrnce William and of Manassas
Church prefer the following charge against
our minister, Rev. F. M. Todd, to wit:
That. on the Oath of May, 1887, he was seen
by one Robert Turner in the woods of Mr..
Currie, in Prince William county, about
200 yards from the road, with lap-robe
spread and lying down upon it with white
woman. This charge is based upon the ac
companying affidavit. We ask that the
moderator will take immediate action in
this matter, for the welfare of our church
es.
The complaint was signed by nine male
and female members ofMr. Todd's churches
The first affidavit, signed by Robert Turn.
err, reads as follows:
left Mr.. Currie's and started home by
the road lying along the line dividing Mr..
Molony 3 and Mr.. Currie's farm, to the line
of Mr.. Meredith's farm and Mrs. Halls, on
which lived. was looking for this line
for the purpose of building brush fence on
is. About that time there had been many
hickory trees cut down. About twenty
steps from me saw horse tied to hck-
ory tree, and when got about half way to
the horse stepped on stick which gave
o crack and Immediately 1 heard great
scuffle, when, looking through the under
wood, saw woman about FIVE steps from
me moving away. Then saw man lying
on what l supposed was lap robe.
watched the woman until she passed behind
the bush and then l spoke to the gentleman
whom 1 recognized to be Mr., Todd, the
Presbyterian preacher. | said: Good
Mr.. Todd" He said: Coed
sir" The place was distant from
The road about 200 yards, ! left Mr.. Todd
lying on the lap robe, while the woman wac
moving away very slowly. | went
away about 200 yards, and through |
he pines trieu tc see who the
ady was. 1 could hear them talk
ag, and they seemed to be about the same
place where had first seen them but the
little pines were so thick I could not see
hem. / saw that the horse was tied in the
same place as before. went straight home
md in a few minutes Mr. John Carraeo
zane along for sweet potato plants told
lin what I had seen. He proposed we
bould po oud ptpra than, and aUreen